Fire-esgape



(No Model.)

A. M. DYE.

' FIRE ESCAPE. No. 284,542. Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

WITNESSES: h A I INVENTOR:

" i 1% 'Q/Z/ ATTORNEYS.

improved fire-escape.

UNITED STATES ALEXAND R M. DYE, oE MINNEAPoLIs, MINNESOTA.

PATENT OFFICE.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 284,542, dated September 4, 1883.

Application filed Februar y l l, 1883. No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER M. DYE, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a portable singlerope fire-escape; and it consists of novel means whereby a person may easily and safely lowe'r himself on the rope from awindow of a building to the ground or pavement in case of fire.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure lis a side elevation of my new and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the stock detached from the rope, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional plan views taken,

respectively, on the lines x w and 31g of Fig. 1.

The stock B is formed with the slot a, side loops, 1) b, and with the hole 0, and this stock is attached, primarily, to the escape-rope A by means of the leather shields E E, as shown in Fig. 1, and these shields serve also as brakes and for hand-grasps for the person descending the rope.

Through the slot a of the stock is passed the body-strap C, which is wrapped around the rope A and its end returned through the slot, where it is held by the ring' (15, and at this end the strap is provided with the loop e, while at its outer free end it is provided with the hook f, which is adapted to be hooked into the loop 6 after thestrap has been passed.

aroundthe body, andthe folds of this strap move freely in the slot a, so that any weight on the strap will cause it to grasp the rope and serve as a brake. a

Through the side loops, 1) b, of the stock is passed the broad strap 9, which passes around the rope A after its passage crosswise through hole 0 of-stock B, and to this strap 9 is attached the stirrup D, and this strap 9 moves freely in the loops 1) b, so that any weight in.

the stirrup will cause it also to grasp the rope A and serve as a brake. In use, the person to descend will first make a fast the upper end of the rope A. to the window-casing, or to some permanent object in the room. The strapC will then be passed around the body, and one foot placed in the stirrup D. He will then grasp the shields E E firmly in his hands, and then let himself out of the window. The retarding action of stirrup-strap g and the strap 0 upon the rope and the passage of the rope through the hole a will be considerable, and perhaps sufficient to insure the safe descent of a light person; but in case the descent is too rapid the person may easily retard and regulate his speed of descent by grasping the shields E E with greater or less firmness.

In this manner it will be seen that the fireescape is safe, adapted both for light and heavy persons, is cheap, and, when folded up, will occupy-small space, so that it may be conveniently carried in a traveling-bag or trunk.

In some cases, if found necessary, I shall' use two pieces of rubber tubing, whichwill be forced upon the stock B under the shields E E, against which the rope will be pressed in grasping the shields, thus affording greater friction; and, instead of passing the strap 0 through the slot a, I may use a metal cockeye,

to which thestrap 0 may be attached, and

which will reach through the slot a and have the rope A passed through it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. .The fire-escape herein shown and described, consisting of the stock B, rope A, and the body-strap O and stirrup D, arranged and operated substantially as set forth.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the stock B, provided with the slot a, of the body-strap 0, provided with a loop oreye to receive the escape-rope, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the stock B, provided with thehole c and the loops b, of the foot-strap D g, substantially as herein shown and described.

4..- In a fire-escape, the combination, with the stock B, of the flexible shields E, serving as means for securing the stock to the rope as' hand-grasps and as brakes, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. The stock B, formed with the slot a, holec, and side loops, b b, in combination with the rope A, shields 'E E, body-strap O, and stirrup D, constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

ALEXANDER DYE.

. Witnesses:

FREDERIO O. HARVEY, T. B. NEWTON. 

